Black thrips destroy red chilli farmers' hopes

Chinturu (ASR District): Red chilli farmers in East agency are distressed owing to crop damage in hundreds of acres of land due to Black Thrips (Tamara Purugu). They criticised that the pesticides are ineffective in destroying the insects.

According to Horticulture officials, red chilli crops in Kunavaram, Yetapaka and other mandals in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district were heavily damaged.

Chilli farmers said that they started it only in September due incessant rains and floods in August. They said that the flowering was spoiled due to tamara purugu. After the flowering stage is completed, the thrips will not spare the fully ripened chilli. They alleged that the government is creating awareness only but not taking steps to destroy black thrips and demanded that the government should come to their rescue and provide financial relief immediately. They want District Collector Sumit Kumar to visit and help them with necessary aid.

A farmer Kadiyala Srinivas from Thotapalli village of Yetapaka mandal told The Hans India that he cultivated red chilli in 10 acres by investing Rs 1.25 lakh per acre. In the final stage of yielding of the crop, black thrips destroyed the entire crop, he lamented. He expressed anguish that he already incurred loss due to incessant rains and floods and now due to this insect. He said that scientists of Horticulture department are unable to guide them in destroying tamara purugu. Srinivas demanded that the government immediately provide the required pesticides or find a suitable solution to save the rest of their chilli crop.

Speaking with The Hans India, Rampachodavaram Horticulture Officer N Ramesh said that red chilli was cultivated 800 acres in Kunavaram mandal and 2,600 acres in Yetapaka mandal. Stating that 300 acres of crop in Kunavaram was totally destroyed due to the insect, he said awareness programmes have been conducted on how to destroy black thrip. The perils of black thrip and the consequent damage to chilli crop was reported to the higher authorities. He asserted that crop only in half the cultivated land was affected and they are arranging awareness programmes to the farmers to contain the spread of black thrip.

Krishi Vignana Kendram Scientist S Adarsha told The Hans India that most of the chilli crop has been damaged in Yetapaka mandal due to black thrip. She pointed out that the farmers are using one type of pesticide and quickly using another type of pesticide in the event of failure of destroying black thrip. She informed that there should be a gap of 10 days after a pesticide is used. Stating that awareness programmes have been conducted to eradicate the menace of black thrip, Adarsha clarified that the government is not providing any subsidy for eradicating the insect in red chilli cultivated lands in the agency.